An Obsession with All Things Handmade and Home-Cooked

Oldie but Goodie

Recipes come and go as the years pass, but coconuts are forever. At least, the latest coconut craze seems like its a trend that could last until the end of eternity. Looking back on older posts where I declared 2009 the “year of the coconut,” I have to wonder what that made 2010, and now 2011, too, because that tropical fruit was still king of the health food castle last time I checked.

Not everything is the same since that original review though. Branding has become more dangerous, a fine line between enticing and deceiving customer, and wording on packages more careful. You’ll no longer find coconut kefir in the marketplace, but “cultured coconut beverages” instead. Same thing, new name. Perhaps it was deemed a more accurate description of the opaque bottles’ contents, or just a more approachable label for those intimidated by fermented edibles, but I can’t say for sure. All I do know is that it can still make a mean stack of pancakes.

Though these pancakes originally showed up around the same time as that review post, I never shared the recipe. Unsurprisingly, the no-bake “kefir” cheesecake stole the spotlight at the time. It’s a damn shame, because these are some of the fluffiest pancakes to escape my frying pan, and the added nuance of subtle coconut flavor adds an irresistible element of salty, savory goodness. Their naturally tropical flavor makes them the perfect fit for a summer breakfast or brunch, but still every bit as tasty served up in any season.

If you can’t find the cultured coconut beverage in your area, you could very happily substitute 1 cup of plain coconut yogurt plus 1/2 cup of plain coconut beverage (or any non-dairy milk) instead. To really bump up the coconut flavor if you want more than a gentle hint, add a splash of coconut extract.

Like most pancakes, these couldn’t be easier to whip up. Just combine both flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, and whisk to distribute all of the dry goods. Separately, stir together the coconut beverage, water, oil, and vanilla, and then pour these liquids into the large bowl as well. Whisk just to combine; a few lumps are just fine here, so don’t over-mix.

Place a large (preferably non-stick) skillet over medium heat, and very lightly grease. Use about 3 – 4 tablespoons of batter for each pancake, and cook on the first side for 4 – 6 minutes, until bubbles burst on the top and they feel sturdy enough to flip. Flip, and cook on the second side for an additional 2 – 5 minutes, until golden and fully cooked through in the center. Serve immediately, or keep warm in an oven preheated on the “warm” setting.

PS, for a treat that combines the best of breakfast and dessert, try a short stack of these babies with a generous scoop of coconut ice cream on top!

I’ve definitely joined the coconut bandwagon this year and down coconut water by the liter! It’s just so high in potassium, my achy muscles just can’t resist it! These pancakes do have some super pretty fluff! Can’t wait to try them!

They made a big hit as a bath product too…in the fragrance line as well. Hee. I’m actually not the biggest fan of coconut; small doses is okay but too much can be cloying. these pancakes look divine though!

Pancakes are one of my all-time favorite breakfast foods. (I usually make blueberry walnut pancakes on Saturday mornings.) What a great unique twist with the coconut! I definitely want to give these a try…if I can find the coconut flour.

Wow Bittersweet!! These pancakes look ‘off the hook’!! I’m a huge coconut fan and you know by my blog I’m always toting the splendors of coconut oil- when I make this recipe I’ll try coconut oil in it and let you know how it went- Thanks again for another ‘out of the ballpark’ recipe!!

Very likely… Doesn’t make much of a difference to me, I was just surprised when I first noticed the change. Out of curiosity, what do they call things like that in Europe then? I can’t say I really thought about it on the brief occasions I visited in the past…

That’s an interesting ingredient, that I’ve never heard of before! I wonder where on earth I can find fermented coconut milk (in the uk) as it certainly sounds like something I’d quite like, being a fan of pretty much all things fermented!

Well, I’m not an expert on gluten-free baking, but I’ve had good results when substituting Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend for regular all purpose flour. Otherwise, a blend of equal parts brown rice flour, sorghum, and tapioca starch, plus a bit of xanthan gum might also do the trick. Let me know if you try!

Thank you for sharing this delectable recipe, Hannah! Your pancakes really do look fluffalicious! We couldn’t wait to share it with our Twitter friends and Facebook fans! We’d like to invite you and your readers to download some money-saving coupons redeemable for our Cultured Coconut Milk beverages or any of our other delicious, dairy-free products: http://bit.ly/gW3Pkk

I don’t get coconut flour here but I have long ago started making my pancakes with coconut butter and or or virgin pressed coconut oil. As you can imagine we’ve always cooked with coconut A LOT in the Caribbean